"Oishi's bat… it was actually sent flying?"
"That pitch—how can it be that terrifying?!"
"This must be an illusion. It can't be real—!"
The coach of Seibō High School, their players, and even their supporters were completely dumbfounded.
Their team's fourth batter, the absolute core of the national youth squad, had his bat blown out of his hands by a pitch?
They had only ever heard of batters schooling pitchers.
This was the first time they had witnessed a pitcher teaching a batter a brutal lesson.
The shock was indescribable.
The supporters of Seibō High School stared at the field in disbelief, unable to accept what they had just seen.
On the other hand, Seido High School's supporters didn't care what Seibō thought at all.
At this moment, they were overflowing with excitement.
Arms raised high, their cheers shook the stadium.
"Zhou Hao is invincible!!"
Before today's match, even though Seido's supporters greatly acknowledged Zhou Hao's strength, they wouldn't have dared to say such words so openly.
But now?
They felt no psychological burden whatsoever.
Because deep down, they knew—
Everything they were saying was the truth.
At this moment, the name Zhou Hao had become synonymous with invincibility.
Seibō's side fell completely silent.
Soon after, their fifth batter stepped into the batter's box.
"Fifth Batter, No. 1—Pitcher, Shirawaza!"
The moment Shirawaza appeared, Seibō High School's supporters instinctively felt a spark of hope.
If anyone still gave them a chance—
It was their Ace.
Where that confidence came from, even they couldn't fully explain.
It was similar to how Seido's players and fans felt whenever Zhou Hao stood on the mound.
As long as Shirawaza was on the field, it felt like nothing was impossible.
"Hit it out!"
"The opponent's pitch—!"
While clinging to hope, Seibō's supporters desperately searched for Zhou Hao's weaknesses.
But it was useless.
Even if they were unwilling to admit it, they couldn't find a single flaw.
From the start of the game until now—not the players, not even the fans—had discovered any.
Shirawaza's lips curved into a faint smile.
He could clearly hear the lack of confidence hidden within the cheers around him.
But that was normal.
After all, his opponent was Zhou Hao.
Defeating someone who seemed invincible the moment he stepped onto the field was never going to be easy.
The only thing comforting Shirawaza was this—
They weren't completely without a chance.
His pitching power should be starting to decline… right?
Just as that thought crossed his mind, the pitcher on the mound moved.
"Boom!"
The pitching motion was smooth and flawless.
What was even more terrifying—
The speed of the ball showed no signs of slowing down.
Shirawaza could only watch as the baseball flashed past him.
The smile on his face froze.
"Strike!"
Chris felt a heavy jolt in his wrist as he caught the ball.
Not only Seibō's players—even Chris himself was stunned.
The game had gone on for quite some time.
Zhou Hao had already thrown a large number of pitches, most of them fastballs and Spiral Balls, both extremely taxing on the body.
By all logic, his strength should have started to drop.
Yet it hadn't.
Chris glanced at the electronic scoreboard.
151 km/h.
That terrifying number explained everything.
Zhou Hao's power hadn't declined at all.
Chris had originally wanted to signal Zhou Hao to hold back.
But he understood—
At this stage of the game, there was no room to retreat.
They could only grit their teeth and fight to the very end.
Chris quickly set his glove.
Good. Keep going.
Seeing the signal, a surge of power welled up inside Zhou Hao.
Of course, he knew this situation wasn't normal.
But so what?
Right now, thinking about the future didn't matter.
They would maintain this state until their stamina was completely exhausted.
This was the finals.
And it was precisely in such a stage that one's true potential could be unleashed.
Just like Shirawaza, the Ace of Seibō High School.
Objectively speaking, his ability wasn't necessarily superior to other top pitchers.
The rumored star pitchers were all on similar levels.
So why did Shirawaza feel more terrifying today?
The answer was simple—
He was in peak condition.
In this final, he was performing at over 100% of his ability.
Seido's players had noticed this long ago.
Otherwise, they wouldn't have been pressured so badly.
Fortunately—
Seidou had someone in the same state.
Zhou Hao.
The Ace of Seido uuHigh School.
Zhou Hao lifted his leg and fired the second pitch.
"Boom!!"
The terrifying rotation made everyone from Seibō feel their hearts clench.
It was overwhelming.
Completely overwhelming.
Their batters had no answer for this Spiral Ball.
Just as that thought spread, Shirawaza swung.
He had practiced countless times in secret.
He wouldn't surrender.
But the moment he swung, Akutsu realized—
He was too slow.
No—
The pitch was simply too fast.
By the time his bat came through, the ball had already crossed the plate.
"Snap!"
"Strike!!"
Two strikes.
The pressure was suffocating.
The state Zhou Hao was displaying left everyone in Seibō stunned.
Even the spectators felt a terrifying weight bearing down on them.
Let alone Shirawaza in the batter's box.
Cold crept into his limbs.
As Seibō's Ace and a nationally renowned pitcher, Shirawaza had always trusted his ability.
Even facing Zhou Hao, he never believed the gap was this wide.
But now—
That belief was shaking.
He hadn't given up any runs.
He had controlled the rhythm of the game.
Yet in their direct confrontation—
He was clearly losing.
Zhou Hao had already hit him twice.
And now, hitting Zhou Hao felt like ascending to heaven.
Before he could think further, the third pitch arrived.
"Boom!"
Another Spiral Ball—
Even more terrifying than before.
Shirawaza clenched his bat and swung with everything he had.
The result was the same.
Nothing.
"Snap!"
"Strike!"
"Strikeout!!"
Shirawaza—struck out cleanly.
The stands fell deathly quiet.
"He didn't even touch it…"
"And even if he did, didn't you see Oishi's bat?"
In the first two rounds, Seibō could still accept it.
But now, in the third confrontation—
Their core batter couldn't even make contact?
That was too cruel.
Two outs.
Seibō's sixth batter stepped up.
But whether it was the batter or the fans—
No one held any expectations anymore.
They already knew the outcome.
"Boom!"
"Strike!"
"Strike!!"
"Strike!!!"
"Strikeout!!"
"Three outs, side retired."
Top of the eighth inning—over.
Seibō's three core sluggers were completely shut down.
By now, even ordinary fans understood—
Scoring against Zhou Hao in regulation was a luxury.
Their only hope was to drag the game into extra innings.
And even then—
Would that really work?
Bottom of the eighth inning.
Seido High School went on offense.
The first batter was Isashiki Jun.
Coach Kataoka glanced toward the dugout.
He had considered substitutions.
But at this stage, any mistake could be fatal.
This applied to Seido just as much as Seibō.
Against Shirawaza's pitching—
A rash change could backfire badly.
In the end, Coach Kataoka chose stability.
"Ping!"
Isashiki swung aggressively.
The ball bounced on the ground.
"Snap!"
Thrown to first.
"Out!"
One out, no one on base.
Seido's side buzzed.
A fishing pitch—
And Akutsu used it without hesitation.
He wasn't afraid.
That alone proved his confidence.
Just like Zhou Hao—
No matter the situation, he believed he could control it.
The ninth batter met the same fate.
Two outs.
Then came Seido's leadoff batter.
"First Batter, Matsumoto!"
Akutsu switched styles.
Three breaking balls.
"Strike!"
"Strike!!"
"Strike!!!"
"Strikeout!"
Side retired.
The game entered the ninth and final inning.
Seibō High School was on offense.
Their coach finally brought in pinch hitters for the eighth and ninth spots.
As a national powerhouse, their bench depth was undeniable.
But—
"Boom!"
"Strike!"
"Strike!!"
"Strike!!!"
"Strikeout!!!"
One out.
Zhou Hao stood unmoved.
Facing his Spiral Ball—
Seibō's batters were utterly helpless.